This action plan is aimed at looking at how you can take forward the information that you have received on Broadband, understand how it can benefit you as a business then implement and use the service.



The sections are split into a logical order and take you through:

looking at the potential business benefits and relating them to your own situation in order to justify the decision a checklist of the necessary equipment a logical plan to take you through the stages of using broadband looking at the suppliers so that you can perform a price and service comparison before deciding who to place your order with

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Business Benefits

For a business that already has e-mail - but through a dial-up connection:

Don't need to dial-in Log in once a day to your ADSL account and you are connected until you log out - at NO further cost than your monthly subscription - meaning no added call charges Always on As you are always connected this means instantaneous e-mail, no more having to remember to dial in every X minutes or hours to check for new mail Faster download Large e-mails, software and virus protection updates are downloaded far quicker (in tens of seconds, rather than tens of minutes, or even hours!!!). This frees up your time and system to concentrate on other functions. No need for shared lines With broadband, through one telephone line, you can send and receive emails, surf the net and take and make voice calls at the same time. No more missed customer calls while downloading large mails. Speed of response Customers now demand faster and faster response times. Being permanently connected allows mails to arrive almost instantaneously, rather than when you remember to dial-up. Response times to those mails can be reduced drastically giving a more professional and reliable image.

For a business that sells via the internet - but through a dial-up connection:

React immediately to orders / enquiries Broadband means that you can instantly access your orders and enquiries from your website giving a much faster and more efficient response time Faster updating of websites Updating your website is far quicker using broadband internet access. You will be able to upload changes to products and their availability far quicker than over a dial-up connection meaning your website can be more dynamic and responsive to your business environment Synchronised on and off-line systems Being always connected allows your on-line database to feed into your local database holding stock, capacity and order information, giving you control and visibility of what is happening across your business. With a dial-up connection there would always be a period of uncertainty until the information from your on-line database is downloaded and fed into your local system. As soon as this is done, the period of uncertainty starts again

For a business that uses the internet - but through a dial-up connection:

Shared internet access With Broadband the ability to 'share' an internet connection across a network of computers can deliver instant, personalised e-mail and high speed internet access to those people who need it Cheaper and faster research Once your chosen staff are 'on-line', with no charge for usage beyond your monthly fee, you can research into better suppliers, new leads and new markets more effectively Better quality research Because the research method is now much faster and the cost is capped, the quality of research that can be achieved is markedly higher

Further benefits for a business using a broadband internet connection:

Remote access If you work from home or have a mobile or home based staff such as engineers or sales force, you can use broadband to set-up remote access to your network (using a Virtual Private Network), allowing these staff to collect their individual e-mail, access documentation or any internal systems that are deemed necessary without returning to the office. This saves time which could be spent with customers, and money on travelling expenses Virus Protection Safeguarding information and systems from virus attacks is hugely important and with anti-virus companies releasing updated software to combat new viruses within hours of detection, broadband gives you the ability to set your anti-virus software to update itself without intervention as frequently as you feel necessary - every day or even every hour. With a dial-up connection this would require manual intervention, and doing this hourly, would be hugely inefficient Software updates Broadband gives you the ability to download the latest releases of your businesses software quickly and regularly. With dial-up internet access this could take hours depending on the software and could also tie up a voice or fax line for a very long period

Equipment Checklist - What will you need?

If you are using ADSL Broadband on a single PC:

BT Phone Line	You must have a BT analogue phone line*
ISP Account	A broadband service account through an Internet Service Provider How to choose a Broadband Supplier
ADSL Modem	Usually provided by service provider, but can be purchased separately
Micro Filters	One for each access point on the line you intend to use the Broadband service. ISP account usually provides two with the modem
PC with minimum Spec	Pentium 200Mhz 32MB RAM 16-bit sound card 4-speed CD-ROM player Video card/display 800 x 600, 256 colours 150MB free on hard drive Windows 98, 98SE, ME, 2000 Professional or XP An available USB port

* If you have an ISDN this will need to be removed before the line can be converted to ADSL. There will be a charge for this, however, some ISPS will bear this cost for you.


If you are using ADSL Broadband on a network of PCs:

BT Phone Line	You must have a BT analogue phone line*
ISP Account	A broadband service account through an Internet Service Provider How to choose a Broadband Supplier
ADSL Modem & Router	Usually needs to be bought separately, but consult your ADSL provider
Micro Filters	The use of Micro Filters on an ADSL enabled line becomes more complicated when used with a network. For further information please contact your ADSL provider for the best solution
PC with minimum Spec	Pentium 200Mhz 32MB RAM 16-bit sound card 4-speed CD-ROM player Video card/display 800 x 600, 256 colours 150MB free on hard drive Windows 98, 98SE, ME, 2000 Professional or XP Network card

* If you have an ISDN this will need to be removed before the line can be converted to ADSL. There will be a charge for this, however, some ISPS will bear this cost for you.

What next?

This section covers, in a logical sequence the steps to take when planning to adopt Broadband with the help of Switch on Shrophire funding and Business Link advice.

1.	Use the first section of this document to isolate business benefits that will justify the initial decision to adopt Broadband into your business. Before applying for funding please check your areas eligibility: Objective 2 Eligibility Checker Please follow the below link and submit your postcode. The result will appear in the right hand box. Objective 2 (European Funding) Rural Regeneration Zone Please follow the link to view the RRZ map showing eligible areas for funding Rural Regenaration Zone map
2.	Now check if you are in a range of ADSL enabled exchange BT Exchange Enablement Visit www.bt.com/broadband
3.	Is your equipment capable? Equipment checklist
4.	Call Business Link for advice and arrange an appointment
5.	Choose a Broadband Supplier
6.	Complete a Grant Form
7.	Grant Panel Approved
8.	Sign up for the service
9.	Implementation
10.	Review the impact at 3 months

Choosing a Broadband Supplier

A useful website is ADSL Guide www.adslguide.org.uk/isps/summarylist.asp which allows you to perform comparisons on suppliers and their prices

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